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Mlue Jay: Less Talk, More Legacy – Catching Up with Zim Hip Hop’s Most Consistent Hustler

If there’s one artist we can call family here at Riddims and Raps, it’s Mlue Jay. Our conversations have always been real—no fluff, no filters. This time was no different. I caught up with the Johannesburg-based rapper to talk music, fatherhood, staying visible in two countries, and

Runna Rulez Has the Music, But the Stage Keeps Exposing Him

Disclaimer, the editor is a fan of Runna Rulez music, the likes of Bhomba NeFleece, Ngirozi, Boyz Rangu, Zvirikwese I can f go on and on but something bothers me and listeners who attend the shows. There’s something frustrating about watching an artist with great music fail to deliver

Bhanshee Breaks Silence With 'I Am': A Debut EP That Speaks Loud and Clear

In a scene where bravado often drowns out vulnerability, Bhanshee enters with something most artists dodge—truth. Her upcoming debut EP "I Am", dropping May 8th, isn't just a collection of tracks—it’s a personal manifesto wrapped in beats and bars. It doesn’t ask

The Accursed Genre: Defending ZimDancehall (Again)

So, we are doing this again. Five years ago, to the month, I wrote a piece for another platform, pushing back against the fatalistic voices proclaiming the death of ZimDancehall. It was not my first time putting my rep on the line for mangoma. In 2018, I mused similarly against

Miss Ebony Zimbabwe: A Celebration of Beauty, Culture, and Empowerment

Editorial Note: Music as a Pillar of Cultural Expression At Riddims and Raps, we recognize that music is more than entertainment—it is the heartbeat of culture. Whether it's the pulsating rhythms of dancehall, the storytelling of hip hop, or the timeless echoes of traditional mbira, music has

On Our Radar: Teriro Blends Afro-Fusion with Global Appeal in ‘Sugacane’

At Riddims and Raps, we champion hip hop and dancehall, but our radar is always open to artists making waves across the broader soundscape—especially those with ties to these cultures. Enter Teriro, a London-based Zimbabwean afro-fusion artist who effortlessly weaves R&B, dancehall, and hip hop into her

Riddims, Raps and Melodies at Calisomnia Chills

The art space has started 2025 on a high note, with inter-genre concerts showcasing a growing wave of youth-driven synergy. On March 29, Calisomnia Chills returns to Moto Republik with Riddims, Raps & Melodies, an event set to amplify Zimbabwe’s dynamic music culture. Dancehall powerhouses Ndunge Yut and Queen

Soul Jah Love: Too Good To Be Forgotten

By Lennon Mudzengerere I hate writing about Soul Jah Love. Every time I put pen to paper with the intention of writing about the best chanter to ever get a chance to hold a microphone on Zimbabwean soil, I am often overwhelmed by tears. This year it has been worse

Are Off Centre Dept releasing music faster than we can listen?

By Farai Mudzingwa I have to start by acknowledging that I’m a big believer in quantity over quality. In fact, I hold the belief that quantity precedes quality and that constantly working (and publishing) the stuff that you work on as an artist is what leads to positive outcomes.

ZimHipHop Needs to Be More Like Zanu PF

Meta Shoko Writes: As always, let’s start with a prayer. Put your hand on your heart and say: “If NOP Makoni doesn’t win Album of the Year this year, forgive me, Lord, for it is my fault. Amen.” ZHH Is Zimbabwe’s Biggest Genre—So Why Do Its

Takura’s ‘Rudo Rweshuwa’: Learn Shona Uses Music to Bridge the Language Gap

For many Zimbabweans in the diaspora, language is one of the first things lost with time. Children born abroad often grow up disconnected from their roots, with Shona becoming a foreign tongue rather than a mother language. Learn Shona, an initiative founded by Tarisiro Fundira is tackling this issue head-on.

Voltz JT Rise Recap: From Campus Freestyles to NOP Makoni’s NAMA Nomination

It’s 2019. University halls buzz with an underground anthem called Masinhi, and its creator, Nkosilathi Sibiya—later known to the world as Voltz JT is just another student balancing dreams and deadlines. That was my first encounter with the guy, a casual hangout in town where he rolled up

Press Release: Hip Hop and Dancehall DJs Set to Clash for Supremacy in Harare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Riddims and Raps Presents: WARGAMES – Hip Hop vs Dancehall Harare, Zimbabwe – February 23, 2025 – The battle lines are drawn as Riddims and Raps, in collaboration with DJ RSK, presents WARGAMES: Hip Hop vs Dancehall—a high-energy DJ clash where two of Zimbabwe’s biggest genres go head-to-head

Holy Ten’s NAMA Snub: A Coincidence or a Deliberate Omission?

Year after year, award season in Zimbabwe arrives with its predictable chorus of cheers, debates and inevitably controversies. But few absences ring as loud as Holy Ten’s continued omission from the National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA). This is not an artist struggling for relevance. This is not a one-hit